Not that anyone's 2020 has gone to plan, but being forced to shut down due to coronavirus restrictions and now being at the forefront of reopening and the use of masks in the region, it's been a tricky time for the markets to navigate.

Last Saturday's market was the first one under the watch of new president Richard Dowling, who moved into the top role this month after Paula Townsend stepped down.

The market was on the forefront of re-opening, and is now at the forefront of Orange's push to wear masks.

Shoppers were asked to wear masks at Saturday's market, and many people complied, while changes also had to be made to the layout in the Naylor Pavilion to make provisions for coronavirus restrictions.

However, it's not something Mr Dowling has had to help coordinate so far.

"I can't take credit for any of the organisation, that's done by our market managers and they do a fantastic job," he said.

"They put in an enormous amount of effort to make sure everyone's complying and all the stall holders are happy and everyone's doing as much as they can.

"They do a fantastic job. I'm very much as far as the committee is concerned just chairing meetings."

Mr Dowling, who owns and operates Franklin Road Preserves, has been coming to the markets for the past seven years.

This is his first time in the president's chair, but like most people he's not sure what the plan is beyond 2020 is.

"We'll see what happens, play it by ear," he said.

"I enjoy the company and the association."

He said the range of the market was what impressed him most, with so much on offer - and nearly all of it sourced locally.

"We're extremely fortunate to have a variety of stallholders here and people are able to come here and get pretty much anything they want - obviously not everything but most things," he said.

"It's a fantastic outlet for people who grow their own produce.

"Nearly everything inside this shed is from the local area or as close to it as possible."